It’s hard to believe that even in the new year, parts of Hoboken are still not operational due to Hurricane Sandy.

The elevator at the Hoboken Public Library is still awaiting a piece in order to be restored – and that makes it hard for wheelchairs and strollers to get into the century-old building, which has a steep stairway out front. The elevator piece is reportedly on backorder due to the prevalence of downed elevators in the area.

Two local schools, Hoboken Catholic Academy and Day Care 100, are housing their students in remote locations.

City officials have estimated that approximately 1,700 basement apartments and businesses were affected by the storm.

Businesses like ShopRite and the Clinton Social still have not turned their lights or registers back on.

School’s out

Hoboken Catholic Academy, 555 Seventh St., has not yet returned to its regular location. Due to the flooding at Madison and Seventh streets, the school suffered severe damage. The 400 students have been split into two different interim locations, one at St. Nicholas School in Jersey City the other sharing Our Lady of Grace with Mustard Seed School in Hoboken.

According to sources, 282 students are being bussed from Hoboken to St. Nicholas School in Jersey City while 110 preschoolers are sharing space with the Mustard Seed School students.

_____________ “I am grateful to the people who do understand after we explain the situation.” – Lina Podles____________

Day Care 100, 124 Grand St., is a day care center that receives some federal funding. It was closed for over a month.

Since it reopened on Dec. 10, it has been using module trailers behind the Wallace School at 11th and Clinton streets, quite a hike from its old location for a working mom with a baby or toddler.

A representative from the school said Monday, “I don’t know if they have started on the work down there, but thank God we have those trailers.”

Many stuck elevators

The Hoboken Public library still has an inoperable elevator, leaving people to hike the three-floor facility and inconveniencing parents with strollers.

Lina Podles, a director at the library, said Wednesday, “We were told that a big part is still on order. We were also told that there are so many elevators that are down, but that we were a priority order.”

Without the piece, the elevator cannot be repaired.

“I am in communication with the elevator company every week,” said Podles. “Some people complain, but I am grateful to the people who do understand after we explain the situation.”

The needed part is expected to come in this week, Podles said.

Business updates

ShopRite at 900 Madison St. remains closed. Larry Inserra, president of Inserra Foods, released a statement in December stating that they will have a grand reopening sometime in February.

Santina Stankovich of Wakefern Food Corporation said Wednesday that there is still no definitive date for the reopening. They are still looking at February.

Stankovich also said, “ShopRite will be putting in a flood gate system around the store.”

The Clinton Social, a restaurant and bar on the corner of Clinton and Seventh streets, is also still working toward reopening.